Job overview
This is an exciting 9 month secondment/fixed term role for a senior nurse wishing to develop their management skills and experience of running a ward. There is a well established team that are supportive and work well together.
Charles Wolfson Ward cares for babies needing support prior to discharge home, those admitted from home needing phototherapy and antibiotics and medium term patients aged less than a year. It is a 12 cot area taking both Neonatal and Paediatric patients.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will be responsible for being a clinical expert, providing safe and effective care to all levels of children requiring in-patient hospitalization or day stay care facilities. Assess care needs, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of care. Oversee and participate in the supervision, teaching, mentorship and appraisal of pre and post registration staff. Provide clear and visible leadership, focus and resource for the development of all nursing staff in the joint approach to nursing standards and practice education.
Manage the activity of the ward, and review capacity demands with the Matron, demonstrating effective and safe decision-making ability when doing so. Responsible for ward staff management. Participate in management of the ward budget.
Working for our organisation
Come Nurse with us…
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It’s a great place to nurse, work and live.
You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together – Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?
• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment. For secondments you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.
For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 31 May 2026
Interviews are due to be held in the week commencing 8 June 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
Current NMC registration RSCN/RN child and/or Neonatal nurse
Teaching/Assessing/mentoring qualification
Possession of a relevant first degree or working towards
Leadership or management training
Desirable criteria
RSCN/RN child
MSc in Advancing Nursing Practice or willingness to undertake core modules
Experience
Essential criteria
Demonstrable experience of taking charge of a department and deputizing for the ward/department Senior Sister
Experience of leading and managing a team of nurses.
Experience of managing clinical incident investigation and complaints
Desirable criteria
Previous experience of change management and problem solving
Previous experience of research and audit
NHS experience
Knowledge
Essential criteria
Evidence of on-going professional development within the clinical speciality
Basic and Advanced life support
Evidence of fulfilling PREP.
Understanding of professional and current issues in children’s nursing.
Understanding of resource management, health and safety, clinical risk and quality issues
Desirable criteria
EPLS/APLS/NLS provider
Understanding of audit and research methodologies
Skills
Essential criteria
Relevant specialist skills and abilities for the department
Excellent managerial, leadership and organizational skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Excellent teaching, training and preceptorship skills
Able to motivate and develop a team of staff
Able to problem solve and initiate change
Ability to deal with conflict situations
Effective time management.
Desirable criteria
Ability to initiate, manage and sustain Change
Able to work across professional team and organizational boundaries
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria
The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
Computer literate
A flexible approach to work.
Accountability – Takes responsibility for own actions and promotes good team working
Openness – Shares information and good practice appropriately
Mutual respect – Treats others with courtesy and respect at all times
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Apply online now
Further details / informal visits contact
Name
Claudia Shipp
Job title
Matron
Email address
claudia.gray@nhs.net